Smallest Ocean: The Arctic Ocean Covered With Other Ocean Facts

Joan Agie
Oct 24, 2023 By Joan Agie
Originally Published on Nov 13, 2021
The Arctic Ocean is less deep compared to other oceans. It is 17,880 ft (5,450 m) deep and the deepest point recorded of it is 18,264 ft (5567 m
Age: 3-18
Read time: 4.8 Min

Various wildlife species live in this world's smallest ocean region.

The Arctic region is spread over eight countries: the United States, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Canada, Sweden, Russia, and Norway. It is situated in the northern hemisphere and is almost surrounded by North America and Eurasia.

It is home to a huge number of people and is a rich habitat for wildlife. It contains several resources which the life of the people living there depends on. You might be amazed to learn that from mid-winter to summer, water is frozen in these areas. It is much more than just a snowy terrain one would expect. Its diverse landscapes include coastal wetlands, sea ice, vast rivers, mountains, and the sea.

The Arctic Ocean has an area of ​​about 5,428,596 sq mi (14,060,000 sq km) or about 150% bigger than the size of North America. But, amazingly, it is still the smallest ocean in the world. It is threatened by gas and oil development, shipping, mining, and fisheries management. However, climate change is the main threat. Warming in the Arctic is estimated to be two to three times greater than in the rest of the world. Even a small temperature change could potentially lead to an ice-free Arctic Ocean this century.

The air we inhale and more than half of the world's oxygen is produced by oceans. Oceans also absorb carbon dioxide from Earth's atmosphere. In terms of weather regulation, we see oceans, which cover 70% of the Earth's area, transfer heat from the equator to the poles and thus regulate our weather conditions.

If you enjoy this article, why not also read about what is the oldest thing on Earth and spheres of the Earth here on Kidadl.

Which is the smallest ocean and which is the largest ocean?

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean. This world's smallest ocean is even smaller than the Indian Ocean. The deepest point of the Arctic is the Molloy Hole in the Fram Strait. Its latitude is 65.2482° in the northern hemisphere and 60.4621° towards the west. The Pacific Ocean is the largest, and the Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean on Earth.

The Pacific Ocean is the deepest and largest ocean on Earth because it has a latitude of 11.369° N and 142.587° E. The Pacific Ocean is widest in the east at latitude 5° N at a distance of 12,303 mi (19,800 km), and it covers more than 30% of the planet.

Which is the smallest plate that contains both a continent and the Atlantic Ocean?

The North American plate is the smallest plate that contains both a continent and the Atlantic Ocean.

To the north, the Atlantic Ocean is joined by the Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean to the south. As a result, scientists often divide it into two basins: the north and the south Atlantic. The north Atlantic, where marine water sinks after being cooled by Arctic temperatures, was the beginning of the 'global ocean carrier', a circulation model that helps regulate Earth's climate. The most important marginal seas in this ocean include the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, Hudson Bay, and the Caribbean Sea.

One of the fun facts is that Greenland is the country of ice and glaciers.

Which ocean is the coldest?

Which of the world's oceans - Pacific, Southern, Indian, Atlantic, and Arctic - do you think is the coldest?

The coldest to warmest oceans are the Arctic Ocean, the Southern Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean, going by the surface temperature. The Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean with an average surface temperature of 28.8 F (-1.8 C) and the Indian Ocean ranges from 72-82 F (23-28 C).

Which continent has the smallest border on the Atlantic Ocean?

The Atlantic Ocean shares its border with Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, North America, and central America. However, Europe shares the smallest border with it.

This ocean covers about 20% of the Earth's surface and is the second-largest body of water basin in the world after the Pacific Ocean. However, it is only slightly larger than half the size of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between North and South America to the west and Europe and Africa to the east.

Did You Know...

Marine species found in the Arctic include various species of seals, various species of whales, polar bears, and walruses.

The Arctic Ocean is similar to other oceans in the world in that it borders marginal seas and continents, such as the Mediterranean Sea. Multiple seas are bordered by this body of water: the Barents Sea, the Kara Sea, the Laptev Sea, the Chukchi Sea, the Beaufort Sea, the Wandel Sea, and the Lincoln Sea.

Here are a few more fun facts:

The Southern Ocean is also known as the Antarctica Ocean.

The Andaman Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Bay of Bengal, the Sea of Zanj, the Java Sea, and the Arabian Sea are Mediterranean seas of the Indian Ocean.

The Southern Ocean circles Antarctica and connects the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.

Oymyakon is one of the coldest land areas on Earth.

The Indian Ocean is the youngest in the world and the smallest in India.

The Arctic Ocean is not a saltwater body.

The five oceans, the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Indian, the Southern (Antarctic), and the Arctic, comprise 71% of the surface of Earth.

The seven oceans or seas are the North Atlantic, the Arctic, the South Atlantic, the South Pacific, the North Pacific, the Southern, and the Indian Oceans.

The Mediterranean Persian Gulf lies in Western Asia.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for smallest ocean: the Arctic Ocean covered with other ocean facts, then take a look at different types of German Shepherds or goldfish colors.

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Written by Joan Agie

Bachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy

Joan Agie picture

Joan AgieBachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy

With 3+ years of research and content writing experience across several niches, especially on education, technology, and business topics. Joan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, and has worked as a researcher and writer for organizations across Nigeria, the US, the UK, and Germany. Joan enjoys meditation, watching movies, and learning new languages in her free time.

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